Richard Prust, from Watson Woodhouse Solicitors has been shortlisted for a new legal award.

He is a contender for Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Award in the new category of ‘Practice Manager of the Year’. The awards are known for celebrating those lawyers whose skills and commitment directly affect the lives of vulnerable people. Now in their 16th year, the Legal Aid Practitioners Group who organise the awards have decided to add the new category to recognise some unsung heroes.

LAPG Director Carol Storer said: "This year, we also wanted to recognise those practice managers who do vital work behind the scenes so firms and agencies can stay afloat and keep providing a service to clients, and whose contribution is rarely publicly acknowledged. As one nomination said, "practice managers do not get cards or flowers from clients at the end of each success".’

Richard said “I feel honoured to be shortlisted for a LALY, the awards are one of the highlights of the year for legal aid firms”.

Watson Woodhouse was founded 25 years ago and is located across the North-east with offices in Middlesbrough, Berwick Hills, Northallerton, Stockton, Darlington and Harrogate. With more than 130 employees the firm is one of the largest in the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire.

Alongside Richard, other legal professionals to be shortlisted for this years’ awards include:

Harriet Wistrich, who acted in the landmark judicial review of the parole board's decision to release black cab rapist John Worboys;

Emma Norton, from Liberty, who represents families in the Deepcut Barracks inquests into the deaths of four young army recruits, where judgment is expected in June 2018;

And Nancy Collins, who is one of a group of lawyers working on the Grenfell Fire Inquiry, and claims by those affected by the Hillsborough disaster.

The winners will be announced by Baroness Doreen Lawrence OBE at a ceremony in central London on 17 July.